Hakka Village, Sha Tin, 2010, from Asleep At Sea, © Jane Tam, currently featured in Fraction Magazine, Issue 15

So it’s been quite a long time since my last update and it was mainly due to the lack of acknowledgment for writing on this blog. The loss in interest basically led to my blog getting hacked yesterday but all is fixed. Despite the tumbleweed atmosphere here, I have to update on some news.

Two years ago I graduated from Syracuse University and was honored to be asked to be part of Nymphoto, a women’s photo collective in New York City. (If you have not noticed from the Nymphoto blog, the members and I have decided to take a break and focus on our own individual endeavors.) The members of the collective were overwhelmingly supportive of my work and I jumped for the opportunity to have the sense of community I was leaving in Syracuse. The Nymphoto Blog was one of our first big tasks since it offered a blogpost every single day, whether it was an exhibition announcement or an interview. Having this involvement, I had the opportunity to interview and showcase female photographers I admired such as Kanako Sasaki, Lisa Robinson, Garie Waltzer, Pixy Liao, Celine Clanet, and lots more. Since we had such a great library, Nymphoto decided to tackle more challenges, with two back-to-back exhibitions as Sasha Wolf Gallery and a self-publish volume of the Conversations series. I can’t express how unbelievably amazing all these opportunities are to a then-23-yr old.

Thank you Nina, Maria, Rona, Candace, Melanie, all our families and extended Nymphoto friends. Being a member of Nymphoto have brought me a noticeably bigger audience, have given me exhibition opportunities, and a great group of friends. It’s been a great run and I think it’s about time we find time for ourselves.

Artist: Emily Shur
Title: Hollywood Sign, Los Angeles, California
Date: 2004
Size: 20×24 in.
Medium: Digital C-Print
Edition: 5/15
Signed Verso

The Nymphoto Collective is proud to announce its online auction and print sale to benefit the relief effort in Haiti.

The Art for Haiti auction will be coordinated by eBay Giving Works and 100% of the proceeds will go to Partners in Health. The auction & print sale will take place February 27 through March 9, 2010.

Partners in Health is a recognized non-profit organization that, over the course of 20 years, has established 12 medical non-profit facilities in Haiti. Partners in Health is committed to continue to work with the people of Haiti for better health care.

It has been only a month since the earthquake in Haiti, but the press is already beginning to slow down its coverage, which is why the Nymphoto Collective has organized this online auction. The Haitian people have a very long road ahead to recovery. The artists participating in this fundraiser want to show their solidarity and let the Haitian people know that they will continue to support them in the months and years ahead. Some of the participating artists have family and friends in Haiti, and some have built relationships with the Haitian people and culture through photography.

Work by (in alphabetical order by last name) Keliy Anderson-Staley, Nina Büsing Corvallo, Jeff Cate, Rona Chang, Cameron Goodyear, Candace Gottschalk, Laura Heyman, Geoffrey Hutchinson, Hee Jin Kang, Michelle Kloehn, Yijun Liao, Minette Lee Managhas, Tiana Markova-Gold, Stephen Meierding, Maria Passarotti, Suzanne Révy, Jon Shireman, Emily Shur, Brea Souders, Tema Stauffer, Julianna Swaney, Jane Tam, Hidemi Takagi and Jennifer Williams.

This eclectic group of artists has shown in museums and galleries around the world. The fundraiser offers an opportunity for collectors to acquire artwork and contribute to an important cause.

Click here to start bidding on artwork.

Nymphoto Presents @ Sasha Wolf

A group show exhibiting compelling collection of work by contemporary women photographers from across the globe. While diverse in content, these works convey the complexity of the female gaze – the woman behind the camera. The photographs ignite a spirit by addressing a diversity of issues, which inevitably calls into question: what is feminine.

The exhibit features work by:

Jennifer Boomer, Nina B√ºsing Corvallo, Rona Chang, Livia Corona, Katrina d’Autremont, Jen Davis, Lizzie Gorfaine, Candace Gottschalk, Victoria Hely-Hutchinson, Megan Maloy, Tiana Markova-Gold, Debora Mittelstaedt, Maria Passarotti, Alex Prager, Beatrix Reinhardt, Anna Skladmann, Jane Tam, Malou van Breevoort, Corinne Vionnet, Sophia Wallace, & Susan Worsham

Exhibition opens May 23rd through June 6, 2009.

Please join us for the artist reception May 28, 2009 6-8 p.m. at Sasha Wolf Gallery in New York.

*Psst: We also have an opening reception and book launch on May 6, 2009 at Sasha Wolf Gallery for Nymphoto: Conversations Volume I.

The difference between Nymphoto and some other collectives is that we are a close knit community of just a few members. (Our meetings run hours long.. food keeps us sane.) We strive to keep each other motivated and it’s especially valuable to me since I was fresh out of college when I was asked to join. Although we are committed to promote women working in photography and creating a voice for them, we are mostly artists too. We have work that wants to be shown and recognized.We have full time jobs but are motivated to keep our goals and intentions going strong.

I’m pleased to announce Nymphoto’s newest projects.

We’re publishing our first book! The Conversations in book form! Also, we are happy to collaborate with gallery owner and director, Sasha Wolf, to put on a physical exhibition coinciding with the book. The title of the book and show is simple called,”Nymphoto: Conversations Volume I.” Join us on May 6, 2009 at the gallery for our book launch and opening reception.

Ladies! We’re also doing a Call for Entries for an group exhibition following the book launch exhibition. Deadline is April 7th. Please go to www.nymphoto.com for details and to submit. We’re looking for the best in contemporary photography by women so please pass the word on.

Grandmother, © Jane Tam

Happy Inauguration Day!

It’s amazing how much has grown within the past year for Nymphoto. The blog has brought on a slew of new readers. We’re hoping to stay on this train and open up the opportunity for Op-Eds. There’s always talk among bloggers that criticism is on the down-low while self-promotion is the road to take and be safe. We want to share the struggles or successes of creating art and make sure it’s heard. For this Tuesday, I wrote a post about being 22, being financially strapped, being unmotivated after college, and how in the end, art-making is my priority. Read it, share your thoughts, and contribute an Op-Ed.

Leopard Lady, © Juliana Beasley

Juliana Beasley recently emailed me about her ongoing print sale from her “Last Stop: Rockaway Park” series. I was first introduced to Juliana’s photographs a couple of years ago when she applied for Jen Bekman’s Hey, Hot Shot competition during my time interning at the gallery. It was one of the most memorable entries and she continued to the Fall 2006 edition of the HHS competition.

She’s selling four of her prints from her website at quite affordable prices. Quick, “Freida” and “Leopard Lady” are selling fast too! She also joined the blogging world too!

from “Breathing In” series, ¬© Rona Chang

Fellow Nymphoto cohort, Rona Chang, has opened up Plum and Lion, a print shop with 8.5×11″ prints from her ongoing series, “Breathing In.” At $25 a piece and archival quality, it is a steal. So buy art. It’ll make the heart better.

Come back for a real personal update and an end-of-the-year review of sorts next week.

Untitled, from the series, Angle of Repose © Toni Pepe

Sorry for the lack of posting. My day job as a retoucher has taken full swing on my mental capacity. Anyways, the current Nymphoto Conversation is with another dear friend, Toni Pepe. We met at a SPE Regional Conference last year and spent some time wandering through Woodstock, NY. Early this year, we traveled to Denver for the national SPE Conference and trekked the Rockies. Photo friends and travel, a great combination! Go check out the interview.

From the series, Fauna, © Nina Buesing

Fellow Nymphoto member, Nina Buesing updated her website which includes extraordinary work. She’s been getting buzz from fellow bloggers since the update too! Congrats!

Okay, let’s try to get back into this again.

Wish © Lisa M. Robinson

There’s an interview I did with Lisa M. Robinson over on Nymphoto.